Into the Night - AU - Locked to seaweed_writes

[ihadabadday]

Sex sold. It could be seen in marketing for businesses across all sorts of industries.

And for John Watson, his business was booming.

He worked out of a club in London that catered to certain... Tastes. Men and women who looked to dominate someone sexually. Some would look down on a man having that job, scoffing. Sex work was legal though. But those who were interested in BDSM, found sex workers to be lacking.

John was sitting at a bar at the club he usually worked out of, nursing a soda. He rarely drank when he was working, preferring to stay sober.

He looked around the room, seeing if there was anyone who caught his interest tonight.

Comments

[seaweed_writes]

It was a few weeks before Sherlock went back to the club. He kept telling himself that it wasn't to see John, but he was disappointed when the manager said that he had quick. He left without finding himself anyone else to... play with.

But as weeks wore on, he thought about John more. He went back to the club again, asking around with general questions, until he was able to get the man's last name.

"So, John Watson." he said one night in his flat, with his laptop on his legs. "Such a common name. How am I supposed to find you?"

The game was on, for the foremost consulting detective.

Find John Watson.

[ihadabadday]

John was currently walking in The Regent's Park, enjoying the day. He knew he could stop his current line of work any time and return to a hospital to work. But he enjoyed the freedom that he got from his job.

He stopped and sat on bench, just to watch everything and everyone go by.

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock was not really one for walking in the park, but he was investigating a kidnapped dog. He really really didn't want to take this case, but the owner was a very close friend of his landlady, so he was her trying to look for his droppings.

He wasn't paying attention, looking down to look for poop when he bumped into someone.

"Hey, look where you're..." He stopped as he straightened up. It was John.

"Oh, it's you.." He said, his voice flat.

[ihadabadday]

John recognized the man from the bar that night. His stomach clenched. But he ignored it. "Excuse me..." He stepped around the man and started to leave.

Well, he was never going to come back to this park. Maybe it was time to leave London completely.

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock closed his eys and took a deep breath.

"John.. Wait. Please." He turned around and gently held John's arm, still well light enough that John could pull away if he wanted to.

"I..." He wasn't good at this. He wanted to say he was sorry, but that was not really his thing.

"I think that we got off on the wrong foot."

[ihadabadday]

He jerked his arm away and looked at Sherlock. John swallowed. "You're right. And I cannot be the person you want."

He sounded regretful at that.

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. He wasn't really sure how to respond, but he didn't reach out to try to stop John again. He was sure that if he lost him this time, he would lose him forever.

"Look, why don't we..go get a coffee or something. Get to know each other, start off on a more even footing. We don't even know each other's name." Ok he knew he was John Watson, but John didn't need to know that.

[ihadabadday]

John swallowed when he saw the look on Sherlock's face. He bit his lip and then let out a breath. He nodded.

"Alright. I can do coffee."

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock visibly relaxed. He knew the ex husband had the dog anyways, so he was done with searching around the park.

"My treat." Sherlock already came from money, and he made a nice amount doing his consulting, he was not hurting for money. He only hoped that John had gotten the money he left him and that the manager was on the up and up.

Sherlock led him to a little corner cafe. "One cappuccino and.. " he turned. "What do you want, John?"

[ihadabadday]

"Latte please." He told the barista with a polite smile.

They settled at a table in the corner and John held his coffee between his hands.

He had never done this. He swallowed and then took a sip of his coffee.

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock looked down, watching the foam in his coffee slowly dissipate.

"I'm... glad I ran into you." He said, his voice soft. It was hard for him to not be rude to everyone, but he can be if he tries.

He intended to try with John.

"You quit the club." He said, in an even tone, not really sure how to start a conversation.

[ihadabadday]

"I did." He said after a moment, "I felt like it was time for me to go."

John had liked that club and the manager was sad to see him go. But he had honestly not wanted to be there if Sherlock was.

And yet here they were.

[seaweed_writes]

"I cost you your job." He said, still not looking at John. What was it about this man that set Sherlock off, made him into a bumbling mess?

"I.. hope you got the money I left that night." Fuck, just talk to the man, he chided himself. It wasn't like there wasn't some mutual attraction. Sherlock was sure of that.

[ihadabadday]

"I did. That was very generous of you." John said. He stared down at his coffee, trying to figure out what to say next. But he didn't know. He didn't know what to do with this man.

He looked up and then offered the man his hand. "Hi, I'm John Watson."

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock shrugged, looking up at John.. god, those dark blue eyes of his.. he could stare at them all day.

He shrugged.' It was nothing. You.. did a good job. You really did. " He sighed. damnit this was ridiculous. Just talk to him.

"Sherlock Holmes." He took John's hand and shook it, a small smile on his face "It is nice to meet you, finally."

[ihadabadday]

"It's a pleasure to meet you Sherlock." He answered with a smile.

John withdrew his hand and cupped the coffee again. He was quiet for a moment as he thought.

"Tell me about yourself Sherlock. What do you like? Job, married?"

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock frowned. "I fuck anonymous men in strip clubs. I don't think that's very conducive to being married.

He looked down and took a sip of his coffee.

"I assume that you have never heard of me then. I am a consulting detective. When the police are out of their element, which is always, they I help them solve cases. I also take personal cases, like the one I was working on when I ran into you.. literally. "

[ihadabadday]

John hummed in response. "I'm not so anonymous anymore am I?" He asked with a wicked grin. His tongue darted out and licked his lips.

"Sounds like a fascinating line of work." He said with a slow shrug.

John was confident in who he was and what he was comfortable with.

[seaweed_writes]

"Not any more." He said with a small grin. "But you aren't working at the club any more, so either way I guess there will be no fucking." He shrugged with a smirk.

"It can have it's moments." He replied. "But I like my job. I make my own hours and see which clients I like."

[ihadabadday]

"Oh damn. And here I was with a free afternoon and not having been laid in weeks." John grinned at him.

"If I wanted, I could return to a hospital to work. But I rather like making my own schedule."

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock almost spit out the sip of coffee that he had just drank. But he caught himself and tried to make it look like he was just coughing.

"Hmm. That is a shame, because I have a perfectly good flat with a lot of toys that are just itching to be used, just waiting for a man with a free afternoon to use them." He actually hadn't been laid since John, so he was aching for some fun.

[ihadabadday]

John laughed. He couldn't help it. Seeing the posh man loose control for a moment.

"Well. If you find someone to spend it with, tell them."

[seaweed_writes]

"Whose to say that I haven't, Mister Doctor?" He leaned in, thinning his eyes slightly and leaning in towards John. He licked his lips.

"Of course, it would be such a shame if all those toys went to waste, wouldn't it?" He finished the last of his drink, got up, and put down a few pounds on the table for a tip.

"Such a shame." He gave John a smile and wink and started walking towards the door.

He had to wonder, was John still as interested as he was?

[ihadabadday]

John was up and following Sherlock in a moment. He wanted it. He did. He bit his lip as they left the shop together.

"What sort of toys?" He asked.

He didn't want to seem too eager. But he wanted it.

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock smiled. Oh, he had him now. He stopped by the street and hailed a cab, waiting for John to get in before he climbed in after him.

"All sorts of toys.." He leaned in and whispered in John's ear.

"221 Baker Street." He told the cabbie.

While they were sitting in the cab, Sherlock laid his hand on John's thigh. "Anything you can think of. All sorts of things that can make me feel good.." He leaned and and licked at the shell of John's ear. "And maybe.. you. if you are really good.."